Refrigerators with near-zero compartments

ABSTRACT

The present invention generally relates to a refrigerator including a third compartment arranged to maintain its temperature at, near or slightly below a freezing point of water so that aqueous articles stored therein may be cooled down to their freezing point but not completely frozen. More particularly, such a refrigerator generally includes a subzero compartment, an overzero compartment, and a near-zero compartment, where a control unit may be arranged to control temperatures of the compartments below zero degree, near (or at zero) degree, and over zero degree, respectively. Such a near-zero compartment is arranged to be in fluid communication with a cooling unit and/or subzero compartment to receive a subzero air stream therefrom, and defines an internal space which may preferably not be in direct fluid communication with either of the subzero and overzero compartments so that the control unit may control the temperature of the near-zero compartment at least substantially independently of the temperatures of the subzero and overzero compartments. Such a near-zero compartment of this invention may be incorporated to any household refrigerators, freezers, industrial refrigerators and/or freezers, household or commercial beverage dispensers, and the like. Such a near-zero compartment may also be manufactured as a separate console designated to chill beverages containers down to their freezing points. Furthermore, such a near-zero compartment may be provided as an add-on unit which may be retrofit into conventional refrigerators and/or freezers.

The present application claims a benefit of an earlier filing date of aU.S. Provisional Application bearing a Serial Number U.S. Ser. No.60/490,716, which was filed on Jul. 30, 2003, and which is entitled“Refrigerators with Near-Zero Compartments,” an entire portion of whichis incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a refrigerator including athird compartment arranged to maintain its temperature at, near orslightly below a freezing point of water so that aqueous articles storedtherein may be cooled down to their freezing point but not completelyfrozen. More particularly, such a refrigerator generally includes asubzero compartment, an overzero compartment, and a near-zerocompartment, where a control unit may be arranged to controltemperatures of the compartments below zero degree, near (or at zero)degree, and over zero degree, respectively. Such a near-zero compartmentis arranged to be in fluid communication with a cooling unit and/orsubzero compartment to receive a subzero air stream therefrom, anddefines an internal space which may preferably not be in direct fluidcommunication with either of the subzero and overzero compartments sothat the control unit may control the temperature of the near-zerocompartment at least substantially independently of the temperatures ofthe subzero and overzero compartments. Such a near-zero compartment ofthis invention may be incorporated to any household refrigerators,freezers, industrial refrigerators and/or freezers, household orcommercial beverage dispensers, and the like. Such a near-zerocompartment may also be manufactured as a separate console designated tochill beverages containers down to their freezing points. Furthermore,such a near-zero compartment may be provided as an add-on unit which maybe retrofit into conventional refrigerators and/or freezers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional refrigerator includes two different compartments, i.e., afreezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment. The freezingcompartment is typically maintained below zero degree (0° C.) to keep avariety of articles stored therein frozen. In some instances, thetemperature of such a freezing compartment must be kept around −15° C.or below to prevent some articles such as, e.g., an ice cream, frommelting. Therefore, the freezing compartment will now be referred to asa “subzero compartment” hereinafter. In contrary, the refrigeratingcompartment is maintained at or around a few degrees, e.g., from 2° C.to 5° C. to keep stored articles fresh or to prevent such articles fromdegrading, decaying or rotten. With the advent of packagingtechnologies, various beverages or drinks are now available in variouscontainers. For example, carbonated drinks such as cola and cider arepacked in metallic cans, plastic bottles, and/or glass bottles, andcarbonated alcoholic drinks such as beers are also available in metalliccans or glass bottles. Non-carbonated drinks such as juices may bepacked in cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles, paper packs, and thelike.

In order to chill such beverages and drinks, an user has only twooptions, i.e., chill them in the overzero compartment or in the subzerocompartment. When the user takes the first option, he or she may put thefluid containers in the overzero compartment and wait for a few hoursfor the containers to be cooled down to about 2° C. to 5° C. When theuser prefers to cool the fluid containers below such temperatures orintends to enjoy slightly frozen drinks, he or she must place the fluidcontainers in the subzero compartment, while taking the risk ofexplosion of such containers due to expansion of fluids occurring duringa phase change of such fluids.

Accordingly, there is a need for a refrigerator which provides a moresafe and reliable way to cool beverage containers close to the freezingpoint thereof while preventing explosion of containers due to completefreezing of the fluid contents thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a refrigerator including athird compartment arranged to maintain its temperature at, near orslightly below a freezing point of water so that aqueous articles storedtherein may be cooled down to their freezing point but not completelyfrozen. More particularly, such a refrigerator generally includes asubzero compartment, an overzero compartment, and a near-zerocompartment, where a control unit may be arranged to controltemperatures of the compartments below zero degree, near (or at zero)degree, and over zero degree, respectively. Such a near-zero compartmentis arranged to be in fluid communication with a cooling unit and/orsubzero compartment to receive a subzero air stream therefrom, anddefines an internal space which may preferably not be in direct fluidcommunication with either of the subzero and overzero compartments sothat the control unit may control the temperature of the near-zerocompartment at least substantially independently of the temperatures ofthe subzero and overzero compartments.

In one aspect of the present invention, refrigerators may be provided toinclude various near-zero compartments. Such a refrigerator generallyincludes multiple compartments, a cooling unit, and a control unit,where such a cooling unit is arranged to provide a subzero air streamdirectly to at least one of such compartments and then indirectly to therest of such compartments, while the control unit is arranged to controlan amount(s) of the air stream(s) supplied to one or more of suchcompartments to control temperatures of such compartments. Such arefrigerator may include at least one subzero compartment, at least oneoverzero compartment, and at least one near-zero compartment.

In one exemplary embodiment, such a subzero compartment is in fluidcommunication with the cooling unit and has at least one first air inletthrough which the air stream is supplied thereto from the cooling unit.The near-zero compartment is in fluid communication with the coolingunit and/or subzero compartment and has at least one second air inletwhich is independent of (or operates independently of) the above firstair inlet and through which the air stream is supplied thereto from thecooling unit and/or subzero compartment. The overzero compartment is influid communication with the cooling unit, near-zero compartment, and/orsubzero compartment, and has at least one third air inlet which isindependent of (or operates independently of) the first and second airinlets and through which the air stream is supplied thereto from thecooling unit and/or subzero compartment. In such an embodiment, thesubzero compartment may be arranged to receive the air stream from thecooling unit, while the overzero compartment may be arranged to receivethe air stream from the cooling unit and/or subzero compartment and,optionally, from the near-zero compartment. The near-zero compartmentmay be arranged to receive the air stream from the cooling unit and/orsubzero compartment. The exemplary refrigerator further includesmultiple pathways which are arranged to be controlled by the controlunit to close and open so as to stop and allow flow of the air streamtherethrough, respectively, between at least two of the cooling unit andthe compartments. The near-zero compartment may particularly be arrangedto define an internal space therein which is not in (direct) fluidcommunication with either of the subzero and overzero compartments,except through the pathway(s) which may couple the near-zero compartmentto the subzero compartment and/or overzero compartment.

In another exemplary embodiment, such a subzero compartment is arrangedto receive the air stream from the cooling unit, the near-zerocompartment is arranged to receive the air stream from the cooling unitand/or subzero compartment, while the overzero compartment is arrangedto receive the air stream from the cooling unit, subzero compartment,and/or near-zero compartment. In addition, the refrigerator may includeone or more air pathways which are arranged to be controlled by thecontrol unit to respectively close and open to stop and allow flow ofthe air stream therethrough between at least two of the cooling unit andvarious compartments. More particularly, the near-zero compartment isarranged to define an internal space which is not in (direct) fluidcommunication with either of such a subzero and overzero compartmentsexcept through one or more of the air pathways arranged to couple thenear-zero compartment to the subzero and/or overzero compartments.

In another exemplary embodiment, the subzero compartment receives theair stream from the cooling unit, while the near-zero compartment isarranged to receive the air stream from the cooling unit and/or subzerocompartment. The near-zero compartment further includes one or moreretainers which are arranged to occupy at least a substantial portion ofone inner surface or plane of the near-zero compartment and to at leastpartly or partially retain one or more metal, glass, and/or plasticfluid containers therein. The overzero compartment is arranged toreceive the air stream from the cooling unit, subzero compartment,and/or near-zero compartment. In another related exemplary embodiment,the subzero compartment is arranged to receive the air stream from thecooling unit, and has a first door arranged to provide an access to aninterior thereof. The near-zero compartment is arranged to receive theair stream from the cooling unit and/or subzero compartment and includesa second door which is typically independent of (or operatesindependently of) the first door and provides an access to an interiorof the near-zero compartment. The overzero compartment is arranged toreceive such an air stream from the cooling unit, subzero compartment,and/or near-zero compartment and includes a third door which isindependent of (or operates independently of) the first and second doorsand arranged to provide an access to an interior of the overzerocompartment.

In another exemplary embodiment, such a subzero compartment is arrangedto receive the air stream from the cooling unit. The near-zerocompartment is rather arranged to receive the air stream from thecooling unit and/or subzero compartment, and also includes at least oneopening arranged to receive and/or dispense a fluid container(s)therethrough. The overzero compartment is arranged to receive the airstream from the cooling unit, subzero compartment, and/or near-zerocompartment. In a related exemplary embodiment, the subzero compartmentis arranged to receive the air stream from the cooling unit, and thenear-zero compartment is arranged to receive the air stream from thecooling unit and/or subzero compartment. The near-zero compartment alsoincludes at least one inlet opening arranged to receive a fluidcontainer therethrough and at least one outlet opening which isgenerally independent of (or works independently of) the inlet openingarranged to dispense the fluid container therethrough. The overzerocompartment is arranged to receive the air stream from the cooling unit,subzero compartment, and/or near-zero compartment.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, the subzero compartment is arrangedto receive the air stream from the cooling unit, the near-zerocompartment is arranged to receive the air stream from the cooling unitand/or subzero compartment, and the overzero compartment is arranged toreceive the air stream from the cooling unit, subzero compartment,and/or near-zero compartment. The control unit is also arranged tocontrol the amounts of the air streams provided to such compartments andto control a temperature of the near-zero compartment (at leastsubstantially) independently of temperatures of the subzero and overzerocompartments. In yet another related exemplary embodiment, the subzerocompartment is arranged to receive the air stream from the cooling unitand has a first control switch which operatively couples to the controlunit and defines a first range of temperature. The near-zero compartmentis arranged to receive the air stream from the cooling unit and/orsubzero compartment and includes a second control switch which is alsooperatively coupled to the control unit and defines a second range oftemperature which is typically arranged to be higher than the foregoingfirst range. The overzero compartment is further arranged to receive theair stream from the cooling unit, subzero compartment, and/or near-zerocompartment and includes a third control switch having a third range oftemperature which is typically arranged to be higher than the foregoingsecond range.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, the subzero is compartment arrangedto receive the air stream to maintain its temperature below zero degree,whereas overzero compartment is arranged to receive the air stream tomaintain its temperature above zero degree. The near-zero compartment isarranged to receive the air stream to maintain its temperature near (orat, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low a temperature as possibleor, alternatively, above that of the subzero compartment and below thatof the overzero compartment). The near-zero compartment retains multiplefluid containers as well. The refrigerator includes at least one sensorwhich is placed in the near-zero compartment, operatively coupled to thecontrol unit, and configured to detect freezing of fluid in the fluidcontainers. More particularly, such a control unit is arranged tomonitor the sensor and to control the temperature of the near-zerocompartment over a preset value so as to prevent, e.g., completefreezing of such a fluid, partial freezing of the fluid beyond a presetextent, expansion of the containers beyond a preset extent by freezingof the fluid, explosion of the containers due to freezing of the fluid,and the like.

In another aspect of the present invention, refrigerators having othernear-zero compartments may also be provided. For example, therefrigerator may include at least one subzero compartment, at least oneoverzero compartment, and at least one near-zero compartment, a coolingunit, and a control unit. The cooling unit may be arranged to provide asubzero air stream directly to at least one of such compartments andindirectly to the rest of such compartments. The control unit isarranged to control an amount(s) of the air stream(s) supplied to suchcompartments so as to control a temperature of the subzero and overzerocompartments below zero degree and above zero degree, respectively. Sucha near-zero compartment may be provided according to various exemplaryembodiments.

In one exemplary embodiment, the foregoing near-zero compartment isarranged to be in fluid communication with the cooling unit and/orsubzero compartment and has at least one air inlet through which the airstream may be supplied thereto from the cooling unit and/or subzerocompartment. The control unit is arranged to control the amount of theair stream to the near-zero compartment so as to maintain a temperatureof the near-zero compartment near (or at, slightly below) zero degree(or at as low a temperature as possible or, alternatively, higher thanor above that of the subzero compartment and lower than or below that ofthe overzero compartment). In another exemplary embodiment, such anear-zero compartment is arranged to define an internal space and tohave at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet, where thecontrol unit is arranged to open and close the air inlet and/or airoutlet to isolate the near-zero compartment from the subzero andoverzero compartments.

In another exemplary embodiment, such a near-zero compartment may bearranged to receive the air stream from the cooling unit and/or subzerocompartment and include multiple retainers which is arranged to occupyat least a substantial portion of one inner surface or plane of such anear-zero compartment to at least partly (or partially) retain fluidcontainers therein (or thereby). In yet another exemplary embodiment,such a near-zero compartment is arranged to receive the air stream fromthe cooling unit and/or subzero compartment and to include an own doorarranged to provide an access thereto or to an interior thereof but notto (or to interiors of the subzero and overzero compartments. In yetanother embodiment, the near-zero compartment is arranged to receive theair stream from the cooling unit and/or subzero compartment and includesat least one opening arranged to receive and/or to dispense a fluidcontainer(s) therethrough. In yet another exemplary embodiment, such anear-zero compartment is arranged to receive the air stream from thecooling unit and/or subzero compartment, includes at least one(container) inlet opening arranged to receive a fluid containertherethrough, and also includes a (container) outlet operating which isindependent of (or operates independently of) the inlet opening andarranged to dispense the fluid container therethrough.

In another exemplary embodiment, the near-zero compartment receives theair stream from the cooling unit and/or subzero compartment, where thecontrol unit is arranged to control a temperature of the near-zerocompartment (at least substantially) independently of temperatures ofthe subzero and overzero compartments. In yet another exemplaryembodiment, such a near-zero compartment is arranged to receive the airstream from the cooling unit and/or subzero compartment and to include acontrol switch which is arranged to control a temperature thereof butnot temperatures of the subzero and overzero compartments. In yetanother exemplary embodiment, such a near-zero compartment is arrangedto receive the air stream to keep its temperature near (or at, slightlybelow) zero degree (or at as low a temperature as possible or, in thealternative, higher than that of the subzero compartment and lower thanthat of the overzero compartment). The near-zero compartment may bearranged to receive (or retain) multiple fluid containers therein. Therefrigerator also includes at least one sensor which is arranged to beplaced in the near-zero compartment, operatively coupled to the controlunit, and to detect freezing of fluid in the fluid containers. Thecontrol unit may be arranged to monitor the sensor and to control thetemperature of such a near-zero compartment over a preset temperature toprevent complete freezing of the fluid, partial freezing of the fluidbeyond a preset extent, expansion of the containers beyond a presetextent due to freezing of the fluid, explosion of the containers due tofreezing of the fluid, and the like.

Embodiments of the foregoing aspects of the present invention mayinclude one or more of the following features.

The foregoing near-zero compartment may be disposed in almost anydesirable location in, on or around the refrigerator. For example, thenear-zero compartment may be disposed in a top portion, a middle portionor a bottom portion of the refrigerator. More particularly, thenear-zero compartment may be disposed above or below the subzero (oroverzero) compartment, between the subzero and overzero compartments, orinside the subzero (or overzero) compartment. When such a refrigeratormay include multiple subzero or overzero compartments, the near-zerocompartment may be provided between such multiple subzero (or overzero)compartments. The near-zero compartment may include a separate exteriordoor which provides an access to an interior thereof. Alternatively, thenear-zero compartment may not include the separate exterior door, butshare an exterior door with the subzero or overzero compartment. In suchan embodiment, the near-zero compartment may include a separate interiordoor to provide an access to an entire or only a preset portion of thenear-zero compartment. In the latter embodiment, optional selectors mayalso be incorporated into the near-zero compartment to provide an accessto its entire portion.

When desirable, the refrigerator may also include multiple near-zerocompartments which may (or may not) be in fluid communication with eachother. In the alternative, the near-zero compartment may includemultiple sub-compartments which may be arranged to receive the airstream individually (i.e., in a parallel mode) from the cooling unitand/or subzero compartment or in a serial mode (i.e., the air streamflows from one sub-compartment to another). Therefore, the control unitmay be arranged to control temperatures of such sub-compartments at thesame temperature or different temperatures. The near-zero compartmentmay include multiple (second) air inlets through which the air streammay be supplied thereto from the cooling unit and/or subzerocompartment. Such plural arrangements may be beneficial in providing theair stream to multiple regions of the near-zero compartment for auniform temperature distribution therethrough, in facilitating moreprecise temperature control of the near zero-compartment by supplyingvarious air streams from, e.g., the cooling unit (i.e., the coldest airstream), subzero compartment (i.e., the colder air stream), overzerocompartment (i.e., a warmer air stream), and so on. The air path mayinclude two opposing ends one of which is connected to the cooling unit,while the other of which is connected to the air inlet of one of thecompartments. Alternatively, one end of the air path may be connected tothe air inlet of one compartment, whereas the other end may be connectedto another air inlet of another compartment. Such an inter-compartmentair path offers a benefit of precisely controlling the temperature ofthe near-zero compartment as discussed above. In the alternative, theair path may further include three or more ends each of which may beconnected to, e.g., the cooling unit and/or one of such compartments.

The near-zero compartment may have a fixed dimension, i.e., a fixedheight, width, and height. Such a dimension may be the same as or lessthan that of the refrigerator or may be greater than, the same as orless than that of the subzero (or overzero) compartment. In thealternative, the near-zero compartment may be arranged to have anadjustable dimension as well. For example, a mobile divider and/or doormay be arranged to move (manually or by the control unit) to define anadjustable internal space of the near-zero compartment. The mobiledivider or door may be arranged to adjust a height, a width, and/or adepth of the near-zero compartment to accommodate fluid containershaving different shapes and/or sizes. Any residual spaces not recruitedby such a mobile divider and/or door may be arranged to join and tooperate as the subzero or overzero compartment. The near-zerocompartment may also include one or more identical or differentretainers arranged to receive identical or different fluid containers.When desirable, such retainers may be arranged to have fixed shapesand/or sizes or adjustable shapes and/or sizes.

The cooling unit may be arranged to provide the air stream to variouscompartments according to various arrangements. In one embodiment, thecooling unit may be arranged to provide such an air stream separately orindividually to each of the subzero, near-zero, and overzerocompartments such that it may directly control the temperature of eachcompartment separately or individually. In another embodiment, thecooling unit may be arranged in such a way that the air stream is firstsupplied to the subzero compartment, then to the near-zero compartmentfrom the subzero compartment, and then to the overzero compartment fromthe near-zero compartment. Other in-between embodiments are alsoplausible. For example, any of such compartments may receive a first airstream from the cooling unit and a second air stream from othercompartments, i.e., such a compartment may include at least two airinlets connected to different sources of the air stream. Similarly, theair pathway from the cooling unit or such compartments may includemultiple intake inlets and/or multiple discharging outlets so that asingle air pathway may deliver one (or multiple) air stream(s) from oneor multiple sources to one or multiple compartments.

The refrigerator may also include one or more sensors arranged to detecta change in a state of fluids contained in the fluid containers such as,e.g., freezing and/or melting of such fluids. Such sensors may bedisposed in the internal space (or interior) of the near-zerocompartment to sense the temperature of the internal space (or interior)thereof or to sense the change of states of such fluids. Examples ofsuch sensors may include, but not be limited to, temperature sensors,infrared sensors, volume sensors, mass detection sensors, and so on. Forexample, pure temperature sensors may be disposed inside the internalspace and arranged to sense the temperature of the internal space of thenear-zero compartment. Alternatively, such temperature sensors may alsobe disposed on a surface of the fluid containers (or inside thereof) tosense the temperature of fluids in the containers. Various conventionalinfrared sensors may be disposed inside the near-zero compartment inorder to measure the surface temperature of the fluid containers.Various volume sensors may be arranged to detect a change in a dimension(e.g., a length, width, height, radius, and/or diameter) and/or volumeof the fluid container. Such volume sensors may be arranged to contactopposing ends of the container along its dimension and to measure such adimension or, alternatively, to sense such a dimension at a distancewithout directly contacting the fluid containers, e.g., by an ultrasonicsensor, an image sensor, and so on. Various mass detection sensors mayfurther be disposed below the fluid container to measure a massdistribution of the fluid container. More particularly, such massdetection sensors are arranged to sense an uneven distribution of thefluid in the fluid container due to partial or complete freezing of sucha fluid. Thus, the mass detection sensors may typically be accompaniedwith other mechanisms to tilt or move the fluid container as will bedescribed in greater detail in the detailed description.

The refrigerator may include at least one selector unit arranged to movefluid containers inside the near-zero compartment so that an user mayposition a specific fluid container in a preset location inside such acompartment. Such an embodiment offers a benefit of providing access toalmost all of the fluid containers disposed in the near-zero compartmentwithout having to open a door thereof. In addition, at least one imageunit may be incorporated such that the user may identify a fluidcontainer disposed in front of or beside a container opening withouthaving to open the door of the near-zero compartment. Examples of suchimage units may include, but not be limited to, mirrors, prisms, lenses,optical fibers, optoelectric imaging equipment, and the like. Therefrigerator may also include at least one mixer arranged to at leastpartly mix contents of the fluid containers. Such a mixer may enhancecooling of the fluids in the container by removing any temperaturegradients and/or thermal boundary layers inside the fluid container.

In another aspect of the present invention, various near-zerocompartments may be provided to a refrigerator having at least onesubzero compartment, at least one overzero compartment, at least onenear-zero compartment, a cooling unit, and a control unit. The coolingunit is arranged to provide a subzero air stream to at least one of suchcompartments, and the control unit is arranged to control an amount ofthe air stream supplied to at least one (or each) of the compartments inorder to control temperatures of the subzero, near-zero, and overzerocompartments below zero degree, near or at zero degree, and over zerodegree, respectively. Various near-zero compartments may be providedaccording to various exemplary embodiments.

In one exemplary embodiment, the near-zero compartment includes a bodyand at least one air inlet through which such an air stream is suppliedinto the body from the cooling unit and/or subzero compartment. Thecontrol unit is particularly arranged to control the amount of the airstream through the air inlet to maintain a temperature inside the bodynear (or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low a temperature aspossible or, alternatively, above or higher than that of the subzerocompartment and below or lower than that of the overzero compartment).In another exemplary embodiment, such a near-zero compartment includes abody, at least one air inlet arranged to receive the air stream into thebody therethrough, and at least one air outlet arranged to discharge theair stream out of the body therethrough. The control unit is arranged toopen and close the air inlet and air outlet to operatively isolate thenear-zero compartment from the subzero and overzero compartment, andalso to control the amount of the air stream to maintain a temperatureinside the body near (or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low atemperature as possible or, in the alternative, higher than that of thesubzero compartment and lower than that of the overzero compartment).

In another embodiment, the near-zero compartment has a body and at leastone air inlet. Such a body has multiple retainers arranged to occupy atleast a substantial portion of an inner surface (or plane) of thenear-zero compartment and to at least partially (or partly) retainvarious fluid containers therein (or thereby). The air inlet is arrangedto receive the air stream therethrough from one or both of the coolingunit and/or subzero compartment, and the control unit is arranged tocontrol the amount of the air stream to maintain a temperature insidethe body near (or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low atemperature as possible or, in the alternative, higher than that of thesubzero compartment and lower than that of the overzero compartment). Inanother exemplary embodiment, the near-zero-compartment may include abody, at least one air inlet, and at least one door. The air inlet isarranged to receive the air stream supplied into the body from thecooling unit and/or subzero compartment, and the door is arranged toprovide an access to an interior of the body but not to interiors of thesubzero and overzero compartments. The control unit is then arranged tocontrol the amount of the air stream so as to maintain a temperatureinside the body near (or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low atemperature as possible or, in the alternative, higher than that of thesubzero compartment and lower than that of the overzero compartment).

In another exemplary embodiment, the near-zero compartment includes abody, at least one air inlet through which the air stream may besupplied into the body from the cooling unit and/or subzero compartment,and at least one opening arranged to receive a fluid containertherethrough. The control unit is arranged to control the amount of theair stream so as to maintain a temperature inside the body near (or at,slightly below) zero degree (or at as low a temperature as possible or,in the alternative, higher than that of the subzero compartment andlower than that of the overzero compartment). In a related exemplaryembodiment, the near-zero compartment has a body, at least one air inletthrough which the air stream may be supplied into the body from thecooling unit and/or subzero compartment, at least one container inletarranged to receive at least one fluid container therethrough, and atleast one container outlet operating independently of the containerinlet and arranged to dispense the fluid container therethrough. Thecontrol unit is then arranged to control the amount of the air stream soas to maintain a temperature inside the above body near, at or slightlybelow zero degree (or at as low a temperature as possible or, in thealternative, higher than that of the subzero compartment and lower thanthat of the overzero compartment).

In another exemplary embodiment, the near-zero compartment includes abody and at least one air inlet through which the air stream is suppliedinto such a body from the cooling unit and/or subzero compartment. Thecontrol unit is arranged to control the amount of the air stream inorder to maintain a temperature inside the body (at least substantially)independently of temperatures inside the subzero and/or overzerocompartments. In another exemplary embodiment, the near-zero compartmenthas a body, at least one air inlet through which the air stream issupplied into the body from the cooling unit and/or subzero compartment,and at least one control switch arranged to operatively couple with thecontrol unit in order to control a temperature inside the body of thenear-zero compartment but not to control temperatures of the subzero andoverzero compartments. In another exemplary embodiment, the near-zerocompartment has a similar body arranged to retain at least one fluidcontainer, at least one air inlet through which the air stream issupplied into the body from the cooling unit and/or subzero compartment,and at least one sensor arranged to be disposed inside the body, tooperatively couple with the control unit, and to detect freezing offluid in the fluid containers. The control unit is arranged to monitorthe sensor and to maintain the temperature inside the body over or abovea preset value to prevent complete freezing of the fluid, partialfreezing of the fluid beyond a preset extent, expansion of the fluidcontainers by freezing of the fluid, explosion of the fluid containersdue to freezing of the fluid, and the like.

Various embodiments of such an aspect of this invention may also includeone or more of the features which have been described heretofore and/orwhich are to be described in conjunction with other aspects of thisinvention.

In another aspect of the present invention, various methods may beprovided for refrigerating different articles at different temperaturesusing an air stream having a temperature lower than zero degree. Suchmethods may be provided according to various embodiments.

An exemplary method may include the steps of providing a firstcompartment including at least one first air inlet, supplying the airstream to the first compartment through the first air inlet to maintaina temperature thereof substantially (or well) below zero degree or abovezero degree, providing a second compartment with at least one second airinlet; and independently supplying the air stream to the secondcompartment through such a second air inlet in order to maintain itstemperature near (or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low atemperature as possible). Another exemplary method includes the steps ofproviding a first compartment, supplying the air stream into the firstcompartment to maintain its temperature well (or substantially) belowzero degree or above zero degree, providing a second compartmentseparately from the first compartment, and then supplying the air streamto the second compartment so as to maintain its temperature near (or at,slightly below) zero degree (or at as low a temperature as possible).

Another exemplary method may include the steps of providing a firstcompartment, supplying the air stream into the first compartment tomaintain its temperature well (or substantially) below zero degree orabove zero degree, providing a second compartment, providing at leastone retainer on at least a substantial portion of one inner surface (orplane) of the second compartment, and supplying the air stream to thesecond compartment so as to maintain its temperature near (or at,slightly below) zero degree or at as low a temperature as possible.Another exemplary method may also include the steps of providing a firstcompartment having a first door arranged to provide an access to aninterior thereof, closing such a first door of the first compartment,then supplying the air stream into the first compartment so as tomaintain its temperature well or substantially below zero degree orabove zero degree, providing a second compartment having a second doorindependently of the first door so as to provide an access to aninterior thereof, closing the second door of the second compartment, andsupplying the air stream to such a second compartment to maintain itstemperature near (or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low atemperature as possible). Another exemplary method may include the stepsof providing a first compartment, supplying the air stream into thefirst compartment so as to maintain its temperature substantially (orwell) below zero degree or above zero degree, providing a secondcompartment having at least one opening, receiving or dispensing atleast one fluid container through the opening, and supplying the airstream to the second compartment to control a temperature thereof near(or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low a temperature aspossible).

Yet another exemplary method may further include the steps of providinga first compartment, supplying the air stream into the first compartmentso as to maintain its temperature substantially (or well) below zerodegree or above zero degree, providing a second compartment, and thensupplying the air stream to the second compartment to control atemperature thereof near (or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at aslow a temperature as possible). Yet another exemplary method may includethe steps of providing a first compartment, supplying the air stream tothe first compartment to maintain a first temperature of such a firstcompartment substantially (or well) below zero degree or above zerodegree, providing a second compartment, installing at least one sensorto the second compartment, measuring a temperature of said secondcompartment and/or a physical feature of a fluid container disposed inthe second compartment, and supplying the air stream to the secondcompartment so as to maintain a second temperature of the secondcompartment near (or at, slightly below) zero degree or at as low atemperature as possible independently of the first temperature of thefirst compartment, while preventing complete freezing of a fluid in thefluid container, partial freezing of the fluid beyond a preset extent,expansion of the container beyond a preset extent, explosion of thecontainer, and so on.

Various embodiments of such methods of this invention may furtherinclude one or more of the features which have been described heretoforeand/or which are to be described in conjunction with other aspects ofthis invention.

In another aspect of this invention, various methods are provided torefrigerate fluid containers near, at or slightly below zero degree withan air stream having a temperature lower than zero degree thereto. Suchmethods may be provided according to various embodiments.

An exemplary method may include the steps of providing a compartmentwith its own air inlet, supplying the air stream to such a compartmentthrough the air inlet, and adjusting an amount of the air stream to thecompartment to maintain the fluid containers near (or at, slightlybelow) zero degree (or at as low a temperature as possible). Anotherexemplary method may include the steps of providing a compartment havingits own internal space, supplying the air stream to the compartment, andadjusting an amount of the air stream to the compartment to keep thefluid containers near (or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as lowa temperature as possible).

Another exemplary method may include the steps of providing acompartment, incorporating at least one retainer onto at least asubstantial portion (or part) of one inner surface (or plane) of such acompartment, supplying the air stream to the compartment, and adjustingan amount of the air stream to such a compartment to maintain the fluidcontainer near (or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low atemperature as possible). Another exemplary method may also include thesteps of providing a compartment having its own door to provide anaccess to an interior thereof, closing the door of such a compartment,supplying the air stream to the compartment, and adjusting an amount ofthe air stream to the compartment to maintain the fluid containers near,at or slightly below zero degree (or at as low a temperature aspossible). In addition, another exemplary method may include the stepsof providing a compartment having at least one opening, receiving and/ordispensing a fluid container through such an opening, supplying the airstream to the compartment, and adjusting an amount of the air stream tothe compartment to maintain the fluid containers near (or at, slightlybelow) zero degree (or at as low a temperature as possible).

Yet another exemplary method may also include the steps of providingmultiple compartments, supplying the air stream(s) to the compartments,and adjusting an amount of the air stream supplied to at least one ofthe compartments to maintain a temperature of such a compartment near(or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low a temperature aspossible) (at least substantially) independently of temperatures of therest of such compartments. Another exemplary method may include thesteps of providing a compartment, installing at least one sensor to thecompartment, measuring or monitoring a temperature of the compartmentand/or a physical characteristics of the fluid containers disposed inthe compartment, supplying the air stream to the compartment, and thenadjusting an amount of the air stream to the compartment to maintain thetemperature of the compartment near (or at, slightly below) zero degree(or at as low a temperature as possible), while preventing completefreezing of a fluid in the fluid container, partial freezing of thefluid beyond a preset extent, expansion of the fluid container beyond apreset extent, explosion of the fluid container, and the like.

Various embodiments of such methods of this invention may furtherinclude one or more of the features which have been described heretoforeand/or which are to be described in conjunction with other aspects ofthis invention.

In another aspect of the present invention, various methods may providerefrigerators having multiple compartments and capable of maintainingdifferent temperatures in such compartments. Such methods may beprovided according to various embodiments. An exemplary method mayinclude the steps of generating an air stream having a temperature belowzero degree, supplying the air stream to multiple compartments,controlling an amount of the air stream supplied to a first compartmentof such compartments to maintain a temperature of such a firstcompartment substantially (or well) below zero degree, then controllingan amount of the air stream supplied to a second compartment of theabove compartments to maintain a temperature of the second compartmentnear (or at, slightly below) zero degree (or at as low a temperature aspossible), and controlling an amount of the air stream supplied to athird compartment of such compartments so as to maintain a temperatureof the third compartment above zero degree. Another related exemplarymethod may include the steps of generating a similar air stream having atemperature below zero degree, supplying the air stream to multiplecompartments, and controlling an amount of the air stream supplied to atleast one of such compartments to maintain its temperature at, near orslightly below zero degree (or at as low a temperature as possible).

Various embodiments of such methods of this invention may furtherinclude one or more of the features which have been described heretoforeand/or which are to be described in conjunction with other aspects ofthis invention.

In another aspect of the present invention, various methods may beprovided to keep different articles at different temperatures indifferent compartments of a refrigerator. Such methods may also beprovided according to various embodiments. For example, one exemplarymethod may include the steps of generating an air stream having atemperature below zero degree, placing a first article in a firstcompartment, supplying the air stream directly to such a firstcompartment in an amount enough to maintain or keep a first temperatureof the first compartment substantially (or well) below zero degree,disposing a second article in a second compartment, supplying thesimilar air stream to such a second compartment in another amount enoughto maintain a second temperature of the second compartment near (or at,slightly below) zero degree (or at as low a temperature as possible) butabove a preset minimum temperature to prevent complete freezing of thesecond article, partial freezing of the second article over a presetextent, expansion of the second article beyond a preset extent,explosion of the second article, and so on, placing a third article in athird compartment, and supplying the air stream to the third compartmentin yet another amount enough to maintain or keep a third temperature ofthe third compartment over zero degree. Another exemplary method mayinclude the steps of disposing a fluid container in at least one of suchcompartments, supplying the air stream to such a compartment, andcontrolling an amount of the air stream, thereby maintaining atemperature of such a compartment near (or at, slightly below) zerodegree or at as low a temperature as possible while maintaining orkeeping the temperature above a preset minimum, thereby preventingcomplete freezing of the fluid container, partial freezing of such acontainer over a preset extent, expansion of the container beyond apreset extent, explosion of such a container, and the like.

Various embodiments of such methods of this invention may furtherinclude one or more of the features which have been described heretoforeand/or which are to be described in conjunction with other aspects ofthis invention.

In another aspect of the present invention, various methods may beprovided to keep different articles at different preset temperatures.One exemplary method may include the steps of disposing an article in acompartment, supplying an air stream having a temperature below zerodegree to such a compartment, and maintaining a temperature of such acompartment near (at or slightly below) zero degree (or at as low atemperature as possible) but above a preset minimum temperature toprevent complete freezing of the article, partial freezing of thearticle beyond a preset extent, expansion of the article beyond a presetextent, explosion of the article, and the like.

Unless otherwise defined in the following specification, all technicaland scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonlyunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the presentinvention belongs. Although the methods or materials equivalent orsimilar to those described herein can be used in the practice or in thetesting of the present invention, the suitable methods and materials aredescribed below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and/orother references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in theirentirety. In case of any conflict, the present specification, includingdefinitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, andexamples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator having an exemplarynear-zero compartment disposed between a pair of subzero compartmentaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator having an exemplarynear-zero compartment disposed inside an overzero compartment accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator having an exemplarynear-zero compartment disposed beside an overzero compartment accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 1D is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator having an exemplarynear-zero compartment disposed inside an overzero compartment accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a front view of a refrigerator having a side-by-sideconfiguration and having various exemplary near-zero compartments invarious regions thereof according to the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a front view of a refrigerator having a side-by-sideconfiguration and having various exemplary near-zero compartmentsextending in various directions according to the present invention;

FIG. 2C is a side view of a refrigerator including various exemplarynear-zero compartments in various regions thereof according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2D shows a front view of a refrigerator having a verticalconfiguration and having various exemplary near-zero compartments invarious regions thereof according to the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a block diagram of exemplary paths of subzero air streamsindependently supplied directly to multiple compartments of arefrigerator according to the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a block diagram of exemplary paths of subzero air streamssequentially supplied to multiple compartments of a refrigeratoraccording to the present invention;

FIG. 3C is another block diagram of exemplary paths of subzero airstreams sequentially and independently supplied to multiple compartmentsof a refrigerator according to the present invention;

FIG. 3D is a block diagram of exemplary paths of subzero air streamsindependently and partly sequentially supplied to multiple compartmentsof a refrigerator according to the present invention;

FIG. 4A denotes a schematic diagram of an exemplary selector unitaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram of an exemplary selector unit with afour-by-eight configuration and moving in a first pattern according tothe present invention;

FIG. 4C is a schematic diagram of an exemplary selector unit with afour-by-eight configuration and moving in a second pattern according tothe present invention;

FIG. 4D is a schematic diagram of an exemplary selector unit with afour-by-eight configuration and moving in a third pattern according tothe present invention;

FIG. 4E is a schematic diagram of an exemplary selector unit with amovable container opening and a mirror according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 4F is a schematic diagram of an exemplary selector unit having afixed container opening according to the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram of an exemplary sensor unit for detectingdimensional changes due to freezing of fluid in a fluid containeraccording to the present invention;

FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram of a modified embodiment of the exemplarysensor unit of FIG. 5A according to the present invention;

FIG. 5C is a schematic diagram of an exemplary sensor unit in itsinactive position for detecting uneven distribution of fluid in a fluidcontainer according to the present invention;

FIG. 5D is a front view of the sensor unit of FIG. 5C according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 5E is a schematic diagram of the exemplary sensor unit of FIG. 5Cin its active position for detecting uneven distribution of fluid in afluid container according to the present invention; and

FIG. 5F is a front view of the sensor unit of FIG. 5E according to thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention generally relates to a refrigerator including athird compartment arranged to maintain its temperature at, near orslightly below a freezing point of water so that aqueous articles storedtherein may be cooled down to their freezing point but not completelyfrozen. More particularly, such a refrigerator typically includes atleast one near-zero compartment, where a control unit may be arranged tocontrol temperatures of such a compartment near, at or slightly belowzero degree. Such a near-zero compartment is arranged to be in fluidcommunication with a cooling unit and/or a subzero compartment (i.e., afreezing compartment) to receive a subzero air stream therefrom, anddefines an internal space which is preferably not in direct fluidcommunication with other compartments such that the control unit maycontrol an amount of the air stream and, thereby, the temperature of thenear-zero compartment at least substantially independently of thetemperatures of other compartments. Such a near-zero compartment of thepresent invention may be incorporated to any household refrigerators,freezers, industrial refrigerators and/or freezers, household orcommercial beverage dispensers, and the like. Such a near-zerocompartment may also be manufactured as a separate console designated tochill beverages containers down to their freezing points. Such anear-zero compartment may also be provided as an add-on unit to beretrofit into conventional refrigerators and/or freezers.

In one aspect of the present invention, a near-zero compartment isprovided to a conventional refrigerator. FIGS. 1A to 1D denote schematicdiagrams of refrigerators with various exemplary near-zero compartmentsaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator having an exemplarynear-zero compartment disposed between a pair of subzero compartmentaccording to the present invention. For example, a refrigerator 10 has aside-by-side configuration, where a pair of subzero compartments 20A,20B are disposed on its left side (when viewed from front) and a singleoverzero compartment 30 disposed on its right side. A control unit (notshown in the figure) is generally arranged to maintain a temperature ofthe subzero (or freezing) compartment substantially or well below zerodegree (e.g., below −5° C. or in some cases below −15° C. or −20° C.),whereas a temperature of the overzero compartment over zero degree(e.g., about 2° C. too 5° C.). Such a refrigerator 10 further includes anear-zero compartment 40 which is disposed between the verticallydisposed subzero compartments 20A, 20B and includes its own exteriordoor. FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator including anexemplary near-zero compartment disposed inside an overzero compartmentthereof according to the present invention. A refrigerator 10 also hasthe side-by-side configuration and includes a subzero compartment 20 andan overzero compartment 30. The near-zero compartment 40 is disposed asa separate chamber inside the overzero compartment 30. Therefore, thenear-zero compartment 40 of this embodiment does not have an exteriordoor but rather includes its own interior door which provides an accessto an interior thereof.

FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator having an exemplarynear-zero compartment disposed beside an overzero compartment accordingto the present invention. Contrary to the side-by-side embodiments ofFIGS. 1A and 1B, a refrigerator 10 of this figure has a verticalconfiguration, where a subzero compartment 20 is disposed on top of anoverzero compartment 30. A near-zero compartment 40 is provided on theright side of the refrigerator 10 beside the overzero compartment 30 andincludes its own exterior door. FIG. 1D shows a schematic diagram of arefrigerator having an exemplary near-zero compartment disposed insidean overzero compartment according to the present invention. Such arefrigerator 10 is also of the vertical configuration and includes aninterior door like the one of FIG. 1B.

In another aspect of the present invention, a near-zero compartment maybe incorporated into almost any region of a refrigerator and in almostany shape and/or size. FIGS. 2A to 2D are schematic diagrams of variousnear-zero compartments disposed in various regions of exemplaryrefrigerators according to the present invention. For example, FIG. 2Ashows a front view of a refrigerator having a side-by-side configurationand having exemplary near-zero compartments in various regions thereofaccording to the present invention. A near-zero compartment 40TS, 40MS,40BS may be respectively incorporated into a top portion, a middleportion, and a bottom portion of a subzero compartment 20. In thealternative, the near-zero compartment 40TO, 40MO, 40BO may also berespectively incorporated into a top portion, a middle portion, and abottom portion of an overzero compartment 30. Such a near-zerocompartment 40 may be arranged to extend length-wise to cover an entireportion of the subzero or overzero compartments 20, 30 or to cover onlya portion of the compartments 20, 30. Alternatively, near-zerocompartments may further be arranged to extend across both of thesubzero and overzero compartments 20, 30. For example, FIG. 2B is afront view of another refrigerator with a side-by-side configuration andincluding various exemplary near-zero compartments extending in variousdirections according to the present invention. For example, a near-zerocompartment 40HT, 4OHM, 40HB may be arranged to horizontally extendacross an entire length (or width) of the refrigerator 10 and disposedin a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion of therefrigerator 10, respectively. A near-zero compartment 40VA may bearranged to vertically extend across an entire height of therefrigerator 10 or, in the alternative, such a compartment 40VT, 40VBmay be arranged to vertically extend along only a portion of the heightof the refrigerator 10 and disposed in a top portion and a bottomportion of the refrigerator 10, respectively.

Near-zero compartments may be arranged to extend along various depthsinto subzero and/or overzero compartments of a refrigerator. FIG. 2Cshows a side view of a refrigerator having a side-by-side configurationand including various exemplary near-zero compartments into variousdepths of the refrigerator according to the present invention. Such asubzero compartment 40DT, 40DM, 40DB may be arranged to extend into anentire depth of the refrigerator 10 (or its compartments 20, 30) andrespectively disposed in a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottomportion of the refrigerator 10 (or its compartments 20, 30).Alternatively, a subzero compartment 40ST, 40SM, 40SB may be arranged tobe shallow to extend into only a portion of the depth of therefrigerator 10 (or its compartments 20, 30) and to be disposed in a topportion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion of the refrigerator 10(or its compartments 20, 30). It is appreciated that the foregoingsubzero compartments 40 described in conjunction with FIGS. 2A through2C may be arranged to have any desirable height. For example, a subzerocompartment 40SA may be arranged to be shallow to extend into only aportion of the depth of the refrigerator 10 (or compartments 20, 30thereof) and to be disposed along an entire or only a portion of aheight of the refrigerator 10 (or its compartments 20, 30).

The foregoing near-zero compartments may be incorporated intorefrigerators having vertical configurations as well. FIG. 2D shows afront view of a refrigerator having a vertical configuration andincluding various exemplary near-zero compartments in various regionsthereof according to the present invention. For example, a near-zerocompartment 40TS, 40MS, 40BS may be disposed in a top portion, a middleportion, and a bottom portion of a subzero compartment 20 or, in thealternative, a near-zero compartment 40TO, 40MO, 40BO may be disposed ina top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion of an overzerocompartment 30. As described above, these near-zero compartments 40 maybe arranged to extend along an entire length or only a portion of such alength or width of the refrigerator 10 (or its compartments), and/or toextend into an entire depth or only a portion of such a depth thereof.

Configurational or operational variations or modifications of theexemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D also fall within the scopeof the present invention. First, any of the above near-zero compartmentsmay have any exterior shapes and/or sizes, and define an internal spacetherein which may have any shapes and/or sizes. Thus, the exteriorand/or interior of the near-zero compartments may horizontally extendalong any length (or width) and into any depth and vertically extendalong any height. Secondly, any of the foregoing near-zero compartmentsmay be arranged to be accessed by an user either directly or indirectly.For example, such a near-zero compartment may include its own exteriordoor as exemplified in FIGS. 1A and 1C. Alternatively, when thenear-zero compartment may be disposed inside the subzero or overzerocompartment, it may only include an interior door so that the user canaccess the interior of the near-zero compartment by opening a door forthe overzero or subzero compartment and thereafter opening such aninterior door of the near-zero compartment. In addition, the near-zerocompartment may be disposed horizontally or vertically between thesubzero and overzero compartments as exemplified in FIG. 1A.Furthermore, the near-zero compartment may be incorporated into a frontor a back of a door for the subzero or overzero compartment so that theinclusion of the near-zero compartment does not necessarily reduce orsacrifice any internal space of the subzero or overzero compartment.

The foregoing near-zero compartment may also be arranged to have alength, width or height enough to retain fluid containers of specific orpreset dimensions. When the near-zero compartment is arranged to receiveand to retain metal can-type containers such as aluminum cans forcarbonated beverages, such a compartment may have a height slightlygreater than that of the cans when such cans are to be retained uprightor may have a width slightly greater than that of the cans when suchcans are to be retained sideways. The near-zero compartment may alsohave dimensions to fit glass bottles for, e.g., carbonated beverages,wine, milk, and/or juices, to fit plastic containers or laminated papercontainers for, e.g., drinks and/or juices. When desirable, thenear-zero container may include retainers arranged to at least partiallyhold such containers, where the shapes and/or sizes of such retainersmay vary. In addition, such retainers may be arranged to have mobileparts which may be manually moved to adjust dimensions of receivingspaces thereof. The near-zero compartment may be arranged to have anadjustable exterior and/or interior dimensions as well. In thisembodiment, the near-zero compartment includes at least one mobile wallor divider, in which the internal space of the near-zero compartment maybe determined by a spatial position of the mobile wall. For example,such a mobile wall may be movably disposed to connect the near-zerocompartment to one of the subzero or overzero compartment. When the usermoves the mobile wall (or divider) away from the near-zero compartment,the mobile wall recruits a space from the subzero or overzerocompartment and adds such a space to the near-zero compartment, therebyincreasing the internal space of the near-zero compartment. Conversely,when the user moves the mobile wall toward the near-zero compartment,the mobile wall gives up the recruited space from the near-zerocompartment, thereby decreasing the internal space of the near-zerocompartment.

In another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator includes atleast one cooling unit and a control unit, where the cooling unitgenerates subzero air streams and the control unit is arranged todistribute (or supply) the subzero air streams directly and/orindirectly to multiple compartments of the refrigerator through variouspaths or pathways for the air streams. FIGS. 3A through 3D show blockdiagrams of exemplary paths of subzero air streams of refrigerators andexemplary control schemes of control units according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram of exemplary paths of subzero air streamsindependently supplied directly to multiple compartments of arefrigerator according to the present invention. In addition to theabove subzero, overzero, and near-zero compartments 20, 30, 40, anexemplary refrigerator 10 also includes a cooling unit 50, a controlunit 60, multiple air paths or pathways 11, and a variety of controlvalves 21, 31A, 41A. Such a cooling unit 50 includes a coolantcompressor arranged to compress or liquefy coolant by applying energythereto, a coolant evaporator for evaporating the liquefied coolant, anda heat exchanger in which the evaporating coolant absorbs heat from anambient air to generate an subzero air stream having a temperaturetypically below zero degree. The cooling unit 50 is in fluidcommunication with various compartments 20, 30, 40 through the airpathways 11 through which the subzero air stream is supplied to variouscompartments 20, 30, 40. The control unit 60 is arranged to control oradjust an amount of the subzero air stream flowing through the airpathway 11 by opening, closing or metering the control valves 21, 31A,41A. Because the pathways 11 directly connects the cooling unit 50 toeach of the subzero, overzero, and near-zero compartments 20, 30, 40,the control unit 60 of this embodiment may be able to individuallycontrol the temperatures of each compartment 20, 30, 40.

In operation, an user sets a preset target temperature for each of thesubzero, overzero, and near-zero compartments 20, 30, 40. As describedabove, the cooling unit 50 provides the subzero air stream and suppliessuch through the air pathway 11. The control unit 60 monitors thetemperatures of the compartments 20, 30, 40, and supplies the subzeroair stream to a compartment(s) of which the temperature is higher thanits preset target temperature by, e.g., opening or metering acorresponding control valve which connects the cooling unit 50 thereto.When the temperature of the compartment reaches the preset temperature,the control unit 60 closes the corresponding valve and may also turn offthe cooling unit 50 when the temperatures of all compartments 20, 30, 40respectively reach their preset temperatures. When the temperature ofany compartment increases, the control unit 60 turns on the cooling unit50 and opens the corresponding control valve to supply the subzero airstream to such a compartment, thereby maintaining the temperatures ofall compartments 20, 30,40 at or below their preset temperatures.

The refrigerators of the present invention may be provided with otherair pathways according to various embodiments. For example, FIG. 3Bshows a block diagram of exemplary paths of subzero air streams whichare sequentially supplied to multiple compartments of a refrigeratoraccording to the present invention. In contrary to the air pathways 11of FIG. 3A which individually connect the cooling unit 50 to eachcompartment 20, 30, 40, air pathways 11 of FIG. 3B connects the coolingunit 50 to the subzero compartment 20, couples the subzero compartment20 to the near-zero compartment 40, and then couples the near-zerocompartment 40 to the overzero compartment 30. Therefore, the subzeroair stream generated by the cooling unit 50 flows in the order of thesubzero, near-zero, and overzero compartments 20,40, 30. Similar to theembodiment shown in FIG. 3A, various control valves 21, 31B, 41B aredisposed along the air pathways 11, and the control unit 60 may open,close or meter each of such valves 21, 31B, 41B to adjust amounts of thesubzero air streams through each air pathway 11.

In operation, an user sets a preset target temperature for each of thesubzero, overzero, and near-zero compartments 20, 30, 40. The coolingunit 50 provides the subzero air stream and supplies such a streamthrough the air pathway 11, while the control unit 60 monitors thetemperature of each of the compartments 20, 30, 40. When the temperatureof the subzero compartment 20 falls below its preset target temperature,the control unit 60 turns on the cooling unit 50 and opens the controlvalve 21 while closing other valves 31B, 41B so that the subzero airstream is supplied from the cooling unit 50 to the subzero compartment20, thereby cooling the subzero compartment 20 but not the near-zero oroverzero compartment 40, 30. When the temperature of the near-zerocompartment 40 falls below the preset temperature but not thetemperatures of the other compartments 20, 30, the control unit 60 opensthe control valves 21, 41B while closing the other valve 31B such thatthe subzero air stream is delivered to the near-zero compartment 40through the subzero compartment 20. Alternatively, when the temperatureof the overzero compartment 30 falls below the preset temperature, thecontrol unit 60 opens all control valves 21, 31B, 41B such that thesubzero air stream is delivered to the overzero compartment 30 throughthe subzero and near-zero compartments 20, 40. When the temperatures ofall compartments reach their preset target temperatures, the controlunit 60 closes all valves 21, 31B, 41B, and turns off the cooling unit50, while maintaining the temperatures of all compartments 20, 30, 40 ator below their preset temperatures.

The refrigerators of this invention may include combinationalembodiments of the air pathways shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C. For example,FIG. 3C is a block diagram of exemplary paths of subzero air streamssequentially and independently supplied to multiple compartments of arefrigerator according to the present invention, where air pathways 11connect the cooling unit 50 to each compartment 20, 30, 40 and connectone compartment to the other as well. The refrigerator 10 furtherincludes various control valves 21, 31A, 31B, 41A, 41B each of which isindividually opened and closed by the control unit 60. Accordingly, thecontrol unit 60 may deliver the subzero air stream to one compartmenteither directly from the cooling unit 50 or through other compartments.In another example, FIG. 3D is a block diagram of exemplary paths ofsubzero air streams independently and partly sequentially provided tomultiple compartments of a refrigerator according to the presentinvention. The embodiment of FIG. 3D is similar to that of FIG. 3C,except that the one of FIG. 3D does not include the air pathwayconnecting the subzero and near-zero compartments 20, 40.

Configurational or operational variations or modifications of theexemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D also fall within the scopeof the present invention. First of all, the refrigerators of the presentinvention may employ a variety of cooling mechanisms and/or controlmechanisms as long as they can maintain a temperature inside thenear-zero compartment at a preset temperature which may be at, near orslightly below zero degree. Therefore, detailed configurations of thecooling and control units are not material to the scope of the presentinvention. Secondly, the above cooling units of FIGS. 3A to 3D may besubstituted by various functionally equivalent cooling mechanisms. Forexample, the cooling unit may generate the subzero air stream may have atemperature varying over a wide range, e.g., from a few degrees abovezero degree down to −20° C. or so, although it is desirable to lower thetemperature of the air stream as low as possible to facilitate heattransfer by as great a temperature gradient as possible, i.e., unsteadyheat transfer. Instead of the above forced convection mechanism ofproviding the subzero air stream, other cooling medium may also beemployed. For example, such a cooling unit may be arranged to circulatea coolant by, e.g., compressing the coolant, evaporating the coolant,supplying such a coolant directly to the subzero, near-zero, andoverzero compartments, and circulating such a coolant to the compressorfor a next compression. Alternatively, coolant pathways may be providedthrough each compartment and the subzero coolant may be arranged to flowinside the coolant pathways. Then, the subzero coolant may absorb heatenergy in the compartment not by convectional heat transfer but byconductive heat transfer. Combination of the foregoing conduction andforced convection mechanisms may also be employed. Thirdly, the aboveair pathways may also be arranged to provide different fluidcommunications among the cooling unit and compartments and/or among suchcompartments. For example, the air pathway may have more than one inletand/or more than one air outlet so that the subzero air stream may bedelivered to multiple compartments and/or be collected from multiplecompartments. Fourthly, an air stream having a higher temperature mayalso be provided to the compartment of which an internal temperature islower than such an air stream. For example, the control unit may bearranged to supply, when desirable, the ambient air to the near-zerocompartment or the subzero air stream from the overzero compartment tothe near-zero compartment. This embodiment offers a benefit of instantlyincreasing the temperature of the near-zero compartment and preventingover-freezing of fluids in the fluid containers placed therein.

In another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator may includeat least one selector unit arranged to move fluid containers inside theforegoing near-zero compartments. Such an embodiment offers a benefit ofproviding capabilities of selecting a specific fluid containerregardless of where the fluid container is disposed inside the near-zerocompartment. FIGS. 4A to 4F are schematic diagrams of exemplary selectorunits for moving fluid containers according to the present invention.

FIG. 4A shows a schematic diagram of a first exemplary selector unitaccording to the present invention. A selector unit 70 includes multipleholders 71 each of which forms an opening 72 which is arranged to atleast partly retain a fluid container therein or thereby. The holders 71are mechanically coupled to each other by couplers 73 so that a motor orother actuating units may move such holders 71, e.g., in acounterclockwise direction, similar to conventional conveyor belts usedin baggage claim sections in airports. Accordingly, an user may move theholders 71 along a preset direction and then position a specific holder71 in a preset location inside the near-zero compartment.

FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram of an exemplary selector unit with afour-by-eight configuration and moving in a first pattern according tothe present invention. Contrary to the above selector unit 70 having adouble-row arrangement (i.e., a front row and a back row of holders 71),a selector unit 70 shown in FIG. 4B arranges twenty-four holders 71 in afour by six formation, where each holder 71 is mechanically coupled totwo other adjacent holders 71. A motor or actuating unit is arranged tomove the holders 71 such that the holder 71, e.g., disposed in a rightlower corner, moves from right to left along a bottom row to a leftlower corner, to a left upper corner therefrom along a first leftcolumn, to a right upper corner therefrom along a top row, one rowdownward therefrom, from right to left along a second top row, one rowdownward again therefrom, from left to right along a third top row, andto its original position therefrom. Therefore, the user may move anyholder 71 of the selector unit 70 and position the specific holder 71 ina preset location inside the near-zero compartment. FIG. 4C shows aschematic diagram of another exemplary selector unit with afour-by-eight configuration and moving in a second pattern according tothe present invention. A selector unit 70 of this figure is identical tothe one of FIG. 4B, except that holders 71 move along a different secondpattern. For example, the holder 71 disposed in a right lower cornermoves from right to left along a bottom row to a left lower corner, to aleft upper corner therefrom along a first left column, to right into anadjacent slot of a second left column, downward therefrom by two slotsto a third top row, to right to an adjacent slot of a third left column,and upward therefrom by two slots to a top row. Such a holder 71continues the downward and upward movements until it is positioned inthe right upper corner. The holder 71 then moves back to its originalposition downward along a right-most column. FIG. 4D shows a schematicdiagram of yet another exemplary selector unit having a four-by-eightconfiguration and moving in a third pattern according to the presentinvention. A selector unit 70 of FIG. 4D is identical to those of FIGS.4B and 4C, except that holders 71 are arranged to move along anotherthird pattern. Therefore, the holder 71 disposed in a right lower cornermay move from right to left along a bottom row to a left lower corner,to a left upper corner along a first left column, to right by two slotsalong a top row therefrom to a third left column, downward therefrom byone slot to a second top row, to left by two slots along a second toprow therefrom, downward therefrom by one slot to a third top row, thenfrom left to right along the third top row to a second right column,upward therefrom by one slot to the second top row, to left by two slotsto a third right column therefrom, upward therefrom by one slot again tothe top row, then to a right upper corner along the top row, and finallydownward along a right-most column to its original position.

In operation, the selector unit 70 is either horizontally or verticallyinstalled inside the near-zero compartment. The user opens a door of thenear-zero compartment 40 and disposes fluid containers inside eachopening 72 of the selector unit 70. As the user closes the door of thecompartment 40, a control unit 60 turns on a cooling unit 50 andprovides a subzero air stream into the compartment 40 while maintaininga temperature in the compartment 40 at, near or slightly below zerodegree and/or at other preset temperatures. When the user wants to takea fluid container out of the compartment 40, he or she opens the doorand selects one container therefrom. When the container to be selectedis disposed deep inside the compartment 40, the user may actuate theselector unit 70, move the holders 70, positions the container in afront row of the selector unit 70, and takes out the container.Similarly, the user may use the selector unit 70 to place fluidcontainers to the holders 71 of the front row and to move them to backrows of the selector unit 70, thereby utilizing all available space ofthe near-zero compartment 40.

As described above, the control unit 60 of the refrigerator of thisinvention is arranged to keep the temperature of the subzero compartment20 substantially below zero degree and the temperature of the overzerocompartment 30 a few degrees above zero degree. Accordingly, thetemperatures of such subzero and overzero compartments 20, 30 maydeviate a few degrees higher or lower without causing any seriousproblems in keeping various articles frozen or fresh. It is appreciated,however, that the temperature of the near-zero compartment 40 may becontrolled with a higher resolution, for lowering the temperature ofsuch a compartment 40 may freeze fluids of the fluid containers,resulting in rupture and/or explosion of such containers. One embodimentfor facilitating a precise temperature control of the near-zerocompartment 40 may be to minimize a heat influx into such a compartment40 while loading or dispensing fluid containers into or out of thecompartment 40, respectively. For this purpose, the near-zerocompartment 40 of a first embodiment may include a narrow auxiliary doorin addition to an exterior or interior door. The user then opens theexterior or interior door and opens the auxiliary door to dispose ordispense the fluid container. By arranging such an auxiliary door toslide to open and to close, heat loss may further be minimized. Thenear-zero compartment 40 of a second embodiment may include a narrowopening for disposing and dispensing the fluid containers instead ofconventional exterior or interior doors. Following FIGS. 4E and 4Fdescribe two exemplary selector units for such a second embodiment.

FIG. 4E is a schematic diagram of a selector unit with an exemplarymovable container opening and an exemplary mirror according to thepresent invention, where a selector unit 70 shown in FIG. 4E isidentical to that of FIG. 4B. The near-zero compartment 40 is arrangedto retain the selector unit 70 therein and bound by a fixed exteriorbody 74. The near-zero compartment 40 is also arranged such that itsinternal space may be accessible through a movable container opening 75which is arranged to open and close by rotating about a pivot 76. Aseparate motor or actuator is incorporated to move the holders 71 of theselector unit 70 along the first pattern so that the user may not onlydispose but also dispense the fluid containers disposed inside thenear-zero compartment 40. In order to facilitate the selection of thefluid containers, a mirror 77 or other imaging unit is disposed besideor next to the movable opening 75 such that the user may identifywhether the fluid container disposed next to or in front of the movableopening 75 is what he or she wants. FIG. 4F represents a schematicdiagram of a selector unit having an exemplary fixed container openingaccording to the present invention, where a selector unit 70 of FIG. 4Fis identical to that of FIG. 4A. The near-zero compartment is arrangedto retain the selector unit 70 therein and bound by a fixed exteriorbody 74 which forms a fixed container opening 78 through which the userdisposes and dispenses the fluid containers. An additional cover may bemovably disposed in front of the fixed opening to minimize heat transfertherethrough.

In operation, the user installs the selector unit 70 horizontally orvertically inside the near-zero compartment 40, opens the movableopening 75 of the near-zero compartment 40, and disposes fluidcontainers inside each opening 72 of the selector unit 70 by moving theholders 71 one after the other through the opening 75. As the userfinishes loading the fluid containers and closes the opening 75, acontrol unit 60 turns on a cooling unit 50 and provides a subzero airstream into the compartment 40 to maintain a temperature inside thecompartment 40 at, near or slightly below zero degree or at anotherpreset temperature. When the user wants to dispense a fluid containerout of the compartment 40, he or she identifies through the mirror 77which container is disposed in front of the movable opening 75. Whensuch a container is what the user wants, he or she opens the opening 75and dispenses such a container therethrough. However, when the containerdisposed in front of the opening 75 is not the one to be selected, theuser moves the holders 71 one by one until he or she finds the desirablefluid container in front of or beside the opening 75. The user thenopens the opening 75 and dispenses the fluid container. The user may usethe movable opening and mirror to dispose the fluid containers intoempty holders 71. For example, the user moves the holders one by oneuntil he or she finds an empty holder 71. The user opens the movableopening 75 and loads a fluid container therein, and so on.

Configurational or operational variations or modifications of theexemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 4A to 4F also fall within the scopeof the present invention. As described hereinabove, such selector unitsmay be either horizontally or vertically disposed inside the near-zerocompartment. The fluid containers may be correspondingly placed eitherhorizontally or vertically in the openings of such holders dependingupon a height and/or width of the near-zero compartment. The selectorunits may also be arranged to include any number of rows and/or columnsas long as the motor or actuator may be able to move each holder of theselector units in an appropriate pattern. Therefore, the selector unitsmay arrange the holders in order to form a rectangle, a square, adiamond, a triangle, a circle, an oval, and the like, where the holdersmay be disposed at vertices, along sides, and/or in an interior of suchconfiguration. Contrary to the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 4Ato 4D, the holders of the selector units may be divided into two or moregroups, and the holders which belong to the same group are connected toeach other by the couplers but not to the holders of the other groups.In such an embodiment, the motor or actuator moves the holders of eachgroup separately without any inter-group movements. The selector unitsmay also be arranged to include multiple layers each of which hasmultiple holders arranged in one of the foregoing configurations. Insuch an embodiment as well, the holders of different layers may beconnected by appropriate couplers such that the holders may move fromone region of one layer to different regions of different layers.Alternatively, the holders of different layers may not be coupled toeach other such that the holders may move from one region to differentregions of the same layer but not to regions of other layers. In thisembodiment, each layer may be provided with a separate movable or fixedopening to provide an access to the user.

The holders and/or openings thereof of the foregoing selector units maybe arranged to have fixed dimensions which fit preselected containerssuch as metal cans, plastic bottles, laminated paper containers, and soon. The holders and/or openings thereof may also be arranged to haveadjustable dimensions such that they may retain a variety of containershaving different dimensions. A variety of couplers may also be used toconnect various holders of the selector units. In order to accommodatecurvilinear movements of the holders in various movement patterns, thecouplers may be arranged to allow translation or rotation of suchholders therealong or therearound. Any conventional mechanical holdersmay be employed to movably couple the couplers. The holders of suchselector units may be arranged to be moved manually by the user or,alternatively, to be moved by an electric motor or other conventionalactuators as well. At least one control switch may be incorporated sothat the user may start and stop movements of the holders whenever he orshe positions a desirable fluid container in a preset location aroundthe selector unit. As described in FIG. 4E, the near-zero compartmentmay also include imaging units arranged to provide visual images offluid containers disposed in front of or next to the fixed and/ormovable container opening. In addition to the mirrors of the exemplaryembodiment of FIG. 4E, such a see-through window may be disposed in afront row of the selector units such that the user may identify thefluid containers disposed in such a row. A micro-camera may also be usedto provide images of the fluid containers disposed in front of or besidethe fixed or movable container opening and/or fluid containers adjacentsuch an opening. Other conventional imaging equipment may also be usedto provide the foregoing images.

It is appreciated that not all near-zero compartments of this inventionmay require the foregoing selector units. For example, when thenear-zero compartment defines an internal space which has a heightand/or a width enough to allow the user to reach the fluid containersdisposed in any portion of the internal space, such a compartment maynot require any selector unit at all. When the near-zero compartmentdefines a limited internal space, however, it is crucial to economicallyutilize a real estate of such a compartment. Accordingly, when the usermay not be able to access the fluid containers disposed in the back ofthe near-zero compartment, the above selector unit may then beincorporated into such a compact near-zero compartment in order to allowthe user to select any fluid container he or she wants. The aboveselector units may also prove useful regardless of the size of theinternal space of the near-zero compartment. In one exemplaryembodiment, the air pathway to the near-zero compartment may belocalized in one region of such a compartment, which may result in anuneven temperature distribution. By incorporating the above selectorunits, all or at least a substantial portion of the fluid containers maybe cooled down to the same or at least a substantially similartemperature, thereby avoiding overcooling or freezing of the fluidcontainers in one region of such a compartment. In another exemplaryembodiment, the selector unit may be utilized to mix the fluids of thecontainers to facilitate heat transfer. When the fluid container at roomtemperature is disposed inside the near-zero compartment, the fluidbegins to lose its thermal energy because of a huge temperature gradienttherebetween. As the heat transfer ensues, the temperature of the fluiddisposed near the container wall may drop to that of the compartment,while the temperature of the core fluid remains at the room temperature,thereby developing a thermal boundary layer and hindering heat transfer.To break such a thermal boundary layer, the selector unit may bearranged to at least minimally shake or tilt the fluids of thecontainers such that the fluids near the container wall may be mixedwith the core fluids. In yet another exemplary embodiment and as will bedescribed in greater detail below, the refrigerator of the presentinvention may include at least one sensor unit arranged to detect apartial and/or complete freezing of the fluids in the containers. Whensuch a sensor unit is disposed only in one region of the near-zerocompartment, the selector unit may be used to manually or automaticallymove the selected containers to the sensor unit so that the sensors ofthe sensor unit may monitor the temperatures of fluids in differentfluid containers.

In another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator may alsoinclude at least one sensor unit arranged to monitor a temperature of afluid container and/or phase change of fluids contained in the fluidcontainer inside the foregoing near-zero compartments. FIGS. 5A to 5Frepresent schematic diagrams of exemplary sensor units for detectingfreezing of fluid in fluid containers according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram of an exemplary sensor unit for detectingdimensional changes due to freezing of a fluid in a fluid containeraccording to the present invention. An exemplary sensor unit 80 has afirst arm 81, a second arm 82, and a movable arm 84. The first arm 81 isgenerally fixed to a body or wall of the near-zero compartment 40, andthe second arm 82 is movably coupled to the first arm 81 by a pivot 83and to rotate thereabout. The movable arm 84 is arranged to translatealong the second arm 82 and biased toward the first arm 81. Therefore,when a fluid container is disposed between the first arm 81 and movablearm 84, the sensor unit 80 monitors a distance and/or a change thereinbetween the first and movable arms 81, 84.

In operation, an user selects a fluid container to be monitored by thesensor unit 80. The user rotates the second arm 82 (along with themovable arm 84) to provide a space for the fluid container, places thefluid container therein upright or sideways while abutting the first arm81, and rotates the second arm 82 toward the fluid container back to itsoriginal position. The user translates the movable arm 84 and then abutsan opposite side of the fluid container thereby. The sensor unit 80monitors a distance between the first and movable arms 81, 84 anddetects a change thereof. When the sensor unit 80 detects an increase inthe distance which is caused by freezing of the fluids in the container,it generates and sends a control signal to the control unit 80 which inturn shuts down the supply of the subzero air stream to the near-zerocompartment 40 and/or which In turn supplies a warmer ambient airthereto.

FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram of a modified embodiment of the exemplarysensor unit of FIG. 5A according to the present invention. A sensor unit80 of FIG. 5B is similar to that of FIG. 5A, except that the former unit80 does not include a second arm. The sensor unit 80 of FIG. 5B ratherincludes a first arm 81 similar or identical to that of FIG. 5A, and amovable arm 84 which is arranged to translate along an opening 85provided on a wall or body of the near-zero compartment 40. The movablearm 84 is also arranged to be biased toward the first arm 81 so that thesensor unit 80 monitors a distance and/or a change therein between thefirst and movable arms 81, 84 when the fluid container is placedtherebetween. Operational characteristics of the sensor unit 80 of FIG.5B are at least substantially similar or identical to those of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 5C is a schematic diagram of an exemplary sensor unit in itsinactive position for detecting uneven distribution of fluid in a fluidcontainer and FIG. 5D is a front view of the sensor unit of FIG. 5Caccording to the present invention. In addition, FIG. 5E denotes aschematic diagram of the exemplary sensor unit of FIG. 5C in its activeposition for detecting uneven distribution of fluid in a fluid containerand FIG. 5F is a front view of the sensor unit of FIG. 5E according tothe present invention. As shown in the figures, a sensor unit 80includes a movable or tiltable actuator 86 arranged to receive the fluidcontainer thereon. Such an actuator 86 is arranged to rotate or tiltabout a pivot 89, and/or otherwise move between an inactive position(FIGS. SC and 5D) and an active position (FIGS. 5E and 5F). Such anactuator 86 includes a flat part 87 on one end and a curved part 88 onan opposite end, where the flat part 87 is generally arranged to beflush with a bottom surface of the near-zero compartment 40 and thecurved part 88 is slightly raised thereover in the inactive position,and where the flat part 87 is raised over the bottom of the compartment40 and the curved part 88 is lowered to be generally flush with thebottom surface of the compartment 40 in the active position.

In operation, the actuator 86 is disposed in its inactive position suchthat its flat part 87 is flush with the bottom surface of the near-zerocompartment 40. A fluid container is then disposed over the actuator 86,more particularly, on the flat part 87 or between the flat and curvedparts 87, 88 thereof as shown in FIGS. 3C and 5D. As the control unit 60begins to provide the subzero a stream into the near-zero compartment40, the sensor unit 80 initiates a series of steps to detect unevendistribution of mass of fluids in the fluid container. For example, thesensor unit 80 rotates or tilts the actuator 86 form its inactiveposition to its inactive position, e.g., by raising the flat part 87 ofthe actuator 86 while lowering the curved part 88 thereof. Such a changein contour renders the fluid container roll down along the actuator 86from the flat part 87 toward the curved part 88 as described in FIGS. 5Eand 5F. When the contents of the container are not frozen, they remainin a liquid state and are redistributed in the container so that ameniscus 13 of the fluid is defined on a top of the container as shownin FIGS. 5D and 5F. When the contents are completely frozen, themeniscus 14 of the fluid also rotates along with the container anddisposed at an angle as shown in FIG. 5F. Because of such an uneven massdistribution, the container tends to roll back to its original position.The sensor unit then detects such a rolling of the container and sends acontrol signal to the control unit which then terminates the supply ofthe subzero air stream to the near-zero compartment 40 or which suppliesan ambient air thereto in order to prevent bursting of the container.Thereafter, the sensor unit 80 may move the actuator 86 back to itsinactive position for a next detection procedure. In the alternative,the actuator 86 may be kept in its active position until the nextdetection procedure during which the actuator 86 is moved to itsinactive position and the sensor unit 80 determines whether or not thefluid is evenly distributed in the fluid container.

Configurational or operational variations or modifications of theexemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 5A to 5F fall within the scope ofthe present invention. Various conventional sensors may be used tomonitor the temperature of the fluid in the container and/or to detectthe phase change of such fluid in the container, partial or completefreezing of the fluid, and so on. First of all, any conventional sensorsfor measuring dimensions may be employed into the sensor units of thepresent invention to measure, e.g., lengths of the fluid containers,widths thereof, diameters or perimeters thereof, and so on, and todetect the phase change or freezing therefrom. Such sensors may bemechanical sensors or electrical sensors, where the electric sensors maybe arranged to monitor electric voltage, current, resistance,capacitance, and/or inductance, changes thereof, and so on. Suchdimensional sensors may be utilized to monitor volumes of the fluidcontainers and/or their changes and to detect the phase change of thefluids or freezing thereof. Secondly, pure temperature sensors may beused to directly or indirectly measure the temperature of the fluidcontainer and/or fluid itself. Such sensors may be disposed on a surfaceof the container or, when desirable, inside the container. Thirdly,conventional infrared sensors may be utilized to measure the surfaceand/or internal temperature of the containers. It is noted, however,that the infrared sensors are generally prone to sense the surfacetemperature but not that of the fluid inside the container. In order toincrease accuracy of such measurement, any mixing mechanisms may beincorporated into the sensor unit so that the surface temperature ofsuch a container approximates an average temperature of the fluidsinside the container. In addition, such mass distribution detectionsensor units described hereinabove may be provided in various modifiedembodiments. For example, the actuator may be arranged to have aU-shaped cross-section or a V-shaped cross-section, to receive the fluidcontainer therein, and to only slightly tilt the container from one sideto the other to detect the uneven mass distribution.

Contrary to the foregoing embodiments where the preset targettemperature of the near-zero compartment is determined based on thephase change and/or freezing of the fluids in the containers, the sensorunits may also be arranged to determine the preset target temperature ofsuch a near-zero compartment a priori by types of fluids of the fluidcontainers. For example, the sensor unit may have an input panel withwhich the user may select a proper type of the fluids such as, e.g.,carbonated beverages, fruit juices, wine, beer, and so on. The sensorunit may also be arranged to count a total number of containers or theirtotal mass disposed in such a compartment, and the control unit may bearranged to control the amount of the subzero air stream suppliedthereto. When the sensors of such sensor units need a reference pointfor temperature measurement, the sensor unit may divert a small amountof tap water which is supplied to, e.g., an ice maker of therefrigerator, measure the freezing point of water, and use such a pointas the reference.

The foregoing exemplary refrigerators of the present invention andnear-zero compartments of such refrigerators may be substituted by theirfunctional equivalents or modified according to various embodiments. Forexample, the refrigerator may incorporate multiple similar and/orasimilar near-zero compartments. In the alternative, a single near-zerocompartment may be arranged to define multiple sub-sections. The coolingand/or control units may be arranged to maintain the same temperaturefor all of such compartments and/or sub-sections or to maintaindifferent temperatures in at least two of such compartments and/orsub-sections.

The foregoing near-zero compartment of the refrigerators of thisinvention may be arranged to be equipped with a quenching mechanism withwhich fluid containers disposed therein may be cooled at a faster speed.In such an embodiment, the control unit is arranged to vary thetemperature inside the near-zero compartment based on a presettemperature profile including, e.g., an initial fast cooling periodduring which the temperature inside such a compartment is maintainedwell below zero degree and a final soaking period during which thetemperature inside the compartment is maintained near, at or slightlybelow (or even above) zero degree. During the initial cooling period,the fluids near the wall of the fluid container may be cooled well belowzero degree (and frozen), while the fluids away from and in a core ofthe container retain most of their thermal energy. During the finalsoaking period, the fluids near the wall and those away from the wallare allowed to approach an equilibrium and to attain a relatively eventemperature distribution. Alternatively, the refrigerator may include aquenching unit which may be incorporated into the near-zero compartmentor provided as a separate unit. In such an embodiment, the near-zerocompartment is arranged to maintain a constant target temperature, whilethe quenching unit is generally arranged to have a temporally varyingtemperature profile to cool fluid containers at a higher speed. In allof the foregoing embodiments, the control unit may be arranged tocalculate or to estimate an amount of thermal energy taken away from thefluid containers based on various sensors capable of measuring an amountof heat transfer, temperature changes, etc.

It is appreciated that the foregoing near-zero compartments may bemanufactured as individual units which may be retrofit to existingrefrigerators and/or freezers. For example, a retrofittable near-zerocompartment may be provided as a sealed compartment having at least oneinlet and at least one outlet and arranged to be fitted either into thesubzero compartment and/or overzero compartment. In either embodiment, afirst air inlet may be arranged to be in fluid communication with aninterior of the subzero compartment, whereas a second air inlet may bearranged to be in fluid communication with an interior of the overzerocompartment or with ambient air. A control unit is also incorporatedinto the retrofittable compartment and arranged to open and close thefirst and second air inlet to maintain the temperature of theretrofittable compartment at, near or slightly below zero degree, e.g.,by supplying the subzero air stream to decrease its temperature and byfurther supplying the less colder air stream from the overzerocompartment or ambient air to increase its temperature.

It is also appreciated that the foregoing near-zero compartments may beincorporated into any household and/or industrial equipment designed tokeep various articles at preset temperatures and/or at temperaturesother than the room temperature or ambient temperature. Accordingly, thenear-zero compartment of this invention may be incorporated intoconventional refrigerators having subzero (or freezing) compartments andoverzero (or fresh) compartments, conventional freezers having one ormultiple subzero compartments, conventional compact refrigerators withthe overzero compartments and optional subzero sections which aregenerally open to the overzero compartments, conventional portablerefrigerators or freezers, conventional vegetable refrigerators with oneor more overzero compartments and no subzero compartment, and the like,regardless of whether such refrigerators or freezers may be of anupright American style or a flat European style.

It is to be understood that, while various aspects and/or embodiments ofthe present invention have been described in conjunction with thedetailed description thereof, the foregoing description is intended toillustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is definedby the scope of the appended claims. Other embodiments, aspects,advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the followingclaims.

1. A near-zero compartment of a refrigerator including at least onesubzero compartment, at least one overzero compartment, at least onenear-zero compartment, at least one cooling unit, and at least onecontrol unit, wherein said cooling unit is configured to provide asubzero air stream to at least one of said subzero, overzero, andnear-zero compartments and wherein said control unit is configured tocontrol an amount of said air stream supplied to each of saidcompartments to control temperatures of said subzero, near-zero, andoverzero compartments below zero degree, near zero degree, and over zerodegree, respectively, said near-zero compartment comprising: a body; andat least one air inlet through which said air stream is supplied intosaid body by at least one of said cooling unit and subzero compartment,wherein said control unit is configured to control said amount of saidair stream through said air inlet in order to maintain a temperatureinside said body at least one of near, at, and slightly below zerodegree.
 2. The near-zero compartment of claim 1, wherein said controlunit is configured to open and to close said air inlet to operativelyisolate said near-zero compartment from said subzero and overzerocompartments.
 3. The near-zero compartment of claim 1, wherein said bodyis configured to include a plurality of retainers which are configuredto occupy at least a substantial portion of one inner surface of saidbody and to at least partially retain fluid containers therein.
 4. Thenear-zero compartment of claim 3, wherein at least a substantial numberof said retainers are configured to have fixed dimensions.
 5. Thenear-zero compartment of claim 3, wherein at least a substantial numberof said retainers are configured to have adjustable dimensions.
 6. Thenear-zero compartment of claim I further comprising at least one doorconfigured to open and close and to provide an access to an interior ofsaid body but not to interiors of said subzero and overzerocompartments.
 7. The near-zero compartment of claim 1, wherein said bodyis configured to define at least one inlet opening configured to receivea fluid container therethrough.
 8. The near-zero compartment of claim 8,wherein said body is configured to define at least one outlet openingconfigured to dispense said fluid container therethrough.
 9. Thenear-zero compartment of claim 1, wherein said control unit isconfigured to control said amount of said air stream in order tomaintain said temperature inside said body at least substantiallyindependently of temperatures inside said subzero and overzerocompartments.
 10. The near-zero compartment of claim 9, wherein saidcontrol unit includes at least one control switch which is configured tobe operatively coupled to said control unit and to control said amountof said air stream.
 11. The near-zero compartment of claim 1 whereinsaid body is configured to retain a plurality of fluid containersfurther comprising: at least one sensor unit configured to be disposedinside said body, to operatively couple with said control unit, and todetect freezing of fluid in said fluid containers, wherein said controlunit is further configured to monitor said sensor unit and to maintainsaid temperature inside said body over a preset value to prevent atleast one of complete freezing of said fluid, partial freezing of saidfluid beyond a preset extent, expansion of said containers, andexplosion of said containers.
 12. The near-zero compartment of claim 11,wherein said sensor unit is configured to monitor at least one of adimension of said fluid container and a change in said dimension. 13.The near-zero compartment of claim 11, wherein said sensor unit isconfigured to monitor at least one of a temperature inside saidnear-zero compartment and a temperature of a surface of said fluidcontainer.
 14. The near-zero compartment of claim 11, wherein saidsensor unit is configured to monitor an uneven mass distribution insidesaid fluid container.
 15. A refrigerator having a plurality ofcompartments, a cooling unit, and a control unit, said cooling unitconfigured to supply a subzero air stream directly to at least one ofsaid compartments and then indirectly to the rest of said compartments,and said control unit configured to control amounts of said air streamssupplied to said compartments in order to control temperatures of saidcompartments, said refrigerator comprising: at least one subzerocompartment configured to receive said air stream from said coolingunit; at least one near-zero compartment configured to receive said airstream from at least one of said cooling unit and subzero compartment;and at least one overzero compartment configured to receive said airstream from at least one of said cooling unit, subzero compartment, andnear-zero compartment, wherein said control unit is configured tocontrol a temperature of said near-zero compartment at leastsubstantially independently of temperatures of said subzero and overzerocompartments.
 16. A method of refrigerating fluid containers byproviding an air stream with a temperature lower than zero degreethereto comprising the steps of: providing a first compartment includingits own air inlet; supplying said air stream to said first compartmentthrough said air inlet; and controlling an amount of said air stream tosaid first compartment in order to maintain said fluid containers atleast one of near, at, and slightly below zero degree.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, said providing step comprising the step of: defining in saidfirst compartment a separate internal space which is not in fluidcommunication with other compartments.
 18. The method of claim 16further comprising the steps of: providing a door to said firstcompartment; and providing an access to an interior of said firstcompartment through said door.
 19. The method of claim 16 furthercomprising the steps of: providing at least one second compartment; andadjusting an amount of said air stream supplied to said firstcompartments in order to maintain a temperature of said firstcompartment independently of temperatures of said second compartment.20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of: disposing atleast one fluid container in said first compartment; incorporating atleast one sensor to said first compartment; sensing at least one of atemperature of said first compartment and a physical characteristics ofsaid fluid containers disposed in said first compartment; and preventingat least one of complete freezing of fluids in said containers, partialfreezing of said fluids beyond a preset extent, expansion of saidcontainers beyond a preset extent, and explosion of said containers bycontrolling said amount of said air stream supplied to said firstcompartment.